Process of producing long and short fibers from reeds, rushes, or similar plants.



LUDYVIG V. ORDODY, OF BUDAPEST, AUSTRIA-HUN GARY.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING LONG AND SHORT FIBERS FROM REEDS, RUSHES, R SIMILAR PLANTS.

srnornrcarron forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,814, datedJuly 1, 1902.

Application filed March 3, 1902. Serial No. 96, 7- (No specimens.)

10 My invention relates to a process of producing long fibers for spinning purposes and short fibers for paper-making purposes from reeds, rushes, and similar stalky fibrous materials.

:5 The process consists in that the reeds,

rushes, and similar fibrous plants are cut into upper and lower parts, then macerated, drained, out into thin longitudinal strips, boiled with an emulsion of petroleum and 2c caustic lime and washed, separated into long fibers and short fibers, whereupon the mate rials are treated in a purifying-bath containing a diluted solution of acid of vinegar, afterward washed and dried, the long fibers 2 '5 being then made pliable and heckled.

The treatment of the fibrous materials in the process according to my invention, especially the boiling with the emulsion of petroleum and caustic lime and the subsequent purification in a diluted solution of acid of vinegar, will yield fibers to which the parenchyma adheres so loosely that it may be detached easily. The fibers so freed are soft and pliable, and therefore specially suitable for spinning purposes, and a far greater percentage of long fibers fit for spinning purposes, a considerable quantity of the valuable oakum, and a not inconsiderable quantity of paper stuff are obtained, while the quan- 4o tity of short fibers is small.

The process is conducted as follows: The raw materials-i. a, reeds, rushes, and similar stalky fibrous plants--are cut into the upper parts and the lower parts. This operation is necessary for the reason that the bottom parts, owing to their stronger structure, require a far'stronger lye for the boiling than the upper parts. These two sorts of parts, therefore, are first treated separately-i. 6.,

at the beginning macerated. For this purpose the materials are put into maceratingvats, poured upon with water, and heated up to a temperature of about 40 to 50 centigrade by the admittance of steam. At this temperature the materials are left in the macerating-vats for about six hours, after which the dirty water is run off and replaced by fresh water. The materials are then again treated in the same manner as before for six hours. This manipulation is again repeated, so that the maceration will last in all about eighteen hours, requiring fresh Water three times. On the completion of the maceration the water is run off, and the wet materials are passed through the known softening-machine, where they are squeezed out. The moist materials are then passed to a second machine, where they are longitudinally out into thin strips. This is necessary, since the out strips render their boiling considerably easier, so that the boiling will take less time to finish than were the materials left uncut. The out materials are then boiled with lye in a suitable apparatus. The lye for this boiling operation is prepared in the following manner: First of all, a lye containing two to three per cent. of soda or potash is prepared. Then in a special vessel hydrate of lime is made of one hundred parts of water and 17.5 parts of lime. Two parts of this hydrate of lime are mixed with one part of petroleum, whereby an emulsion is produced which is added to the lye of potash or soda, the above quantities being sufficient for three thousand liters of lye. This mixture of petroleum and hydrate of lime will exert an exceedingly-favorable influence upon the fibers by rendering them most pliable and dissolving the gelatin of silicic acid retained in the materials, so that the fibers are now most valuable for spinning purposes. After the finishing of the boiling the materials are taken out of the apparatus and washed, while at the same time the long fibers are separated from the short fibers, which latter remain suspended in the washing-water and are collected in sieves, and then treated separately. The washed materials are drained and then passed to a purifying-bath containing a solution of acid of vinegar, four grams of acid of vinegar of the specific weight of 1.040 being taken on every liter of water. The materials are left in the purifying-bath for about an hour, after which they are again taken out and washed, drained,

and dried. The long fibers are broken in suitable machines, combed, heckled, and then passed like hemp to the spinning-mill.

The products of the new process are as follows: The long fibers will yield a texture similar to that of jute, but stronger and far cheaper than the latter. In a similar mannear as with hemp oakum is also obtained, which is an excellent stuff for pads, cushions, and the like, also a most suitable material for absorbing oil, and may therefore be utilized for stuffing packages and the like. The short fibers are ready for sale and form a valuable paper-stuff, as they are already bucked,which is a particular advantage for the paper-making. When mixed with cow-hair, these fibers will give an excellent felt material.

Having fully described my invention, I declare that what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The process of producing long and short fibers from reeds, rushes and similar stalky 

